GDT: Canada vs USA, Group A, Dec 31 2024; 20:00 EST

[TheBeastCoast]

My New Years Resolution is to try and not to laugh when I see talk of B,C,D Teams

The fun thing about B team talks is they can always be undefeated in the persons mind! They never lose a game.

 

[Chainshot]

Nobody baited Pinhead Pinelli. He's an idiot!

I love how Pinelli comes out of that clutching his own face that appears to have been struck by what? some chilly Ottawa air?

 

[TheDoldrums]

I've seen it on the internet for years. "Canada's talent runs so deep, our B and C teams would still win gold!" then when they lose a few games it turns into "we didn't take our best players!" Which is it?

"We didn't take our best players" was a narrative before a single game was played

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Yeah I not sure what game was watched either. Canada definitely wasn't better. 1st period maybe, but that's it. And even then it was the old story of quantity of shots but not quality of shots. Honestly, I have never seen a team fire so many shots on net who had so few scoring chances. I can't even think of a precedence. Usually when you have a high volume by percentages alone you get the good quality ones too. But it didn't happen against Latvia, so why would it vs. USA?

Yeah, as a notoriously anxious US fan, there weren't a ton of 5v5 attacking sequences that made me too nervous. And even for some of the more dangerous looks, Augustine had didn't have too much traffic to contend with. Augustine was great, but he didn't really have to stand on his head, probably one of the easier 38 save performances you'll see.

It seems like Canada's primary 5v5 rush strategy is to take the puck down the wing and then drop it back to a trailing teammate (usually a dman) for an open shot from the dots (which makes the exclusion of Yakemchuk even more confusing, considering his hands and shot). It's a fairly indirect, overly patient approach. Instead, I'd like to see F1 firing low shots within the first 1-2 seconds of crossing the blue line, with F2-3 driving the net for rebounds to then initiate a scoring chance or retrieve for sustained possession. But by delaying for the late man, the play slows down, allowing the opposition to get more bodies back. It also forces F1 and F2 to slow down, making it harder to win races for the puck after a rebound or missed net, which makes it hard to set up sustained offensive pressure.

On the flip side, their half zone offensive plan seemed much more direct and impatient, with a lot of low danger shots and crashing the net.

Typically, you'd want a more direct rush approach against a great skating team like USA, and a more patient possession game below the circles and behind the net to set up high danger looks.

 

[IHaveNoCreativity]

Cameron’s response isn’t acceptable.

Overall, Canada made Augustine work and gave the game away with their bad penalties, there was no bias. Shots were 17-5 at a point and Augustine had made several made big saves, to say that Canada didn’t make him work or get many chances is bull shit. This isn’t the Latvia game, and this was their best game chances wise 5/5 since the Finland game.

It’s widely agreed at this point that the roster picked is questionable, however with a good coach this team is good enough to win, the talent is there. We left better players at home but again a good coach would be getting the most out of these guys.

 

[heynowbababooey]

"We didn't take our best players" was a narrative before a single game was played

But the talent pool is sooooo deeeeep. Should that even matter?

 

[Nogatco Rd]

Hockey supremacy is finally decided once and for all time

It's America's game now, and the sooner everyone can come to grips with that the better off we'll all be

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Nobody baited Pinhead Pinelli. He's an idiot!

So he targeted Hagens head (twice now) and punched Buium in the face multiple times? Cool, should definitely still be allowed to play in this tournament.

 

[Crosbyfan]

This is the guy they willingly chose to coach this team.

Oh good. The inmates get to continue to run the asylum.
If they win or medal it's despite this guy. There's a grey area between benching after every call and doing nothing commonly known as coaching.

 

[JackSlater]

He did seemed to be getting chirped a lot all night (likely about how he would not be there without Cameron) and does not seem to handle it well from his reactions. He's not having enough impact to be an undisciplined reliability, which can be said of a lot of players.

Based on what Johnson said during the game Buium clearly told Pinelli that he only made the team because Cameron is his coach. Which is very likely true and also succeeded in getting Pinelli to play like a moron. Smart by Buium.

The only positive from the game for Canada is that they showwd they can carry the play against USA five on five. That wasn't overly surprising either, but it does not mean much when you control the puck but generate no chances almost every time.

Also blaming the refs is ridiculous. Canada deserved every one of those penalties and the refs even called that flimsy one on Leonard at the end of the second. USA barely did anything that deserved a penalty. The reffing was not a negative for Canada.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

Based on what Johnson said during the game Buium clearly told Pinelli that he only made the team because Cameron is his coach. Which is very likely true and also succeeded in getting Pinelli to play like a moron. Smart by Buium.

The only positive from the game for Canada is that they showwd they can carry the play against USA five on five. That wasn't overly surprising either, but it does not mean much when you control the puck but generate no chances almost every time.

Also blaming the refs is ridiculous. Canada deserved every one of those penalties and the refs even called that flimsy one on Leonard at the end of the second. USA barely did anything that deserved a penalty. The reffing was not a negative for Canada.

I didn't blame the reffing anywhere, was that last point directed at me?

 

[JackSlater]

I didn't blame the reffing anywhere, was that last point directed at me?

Nope.

 

[22Brad Park]

I love how Pinelli comes out of that clutching his own face that appears to have been struck by what? some chilly Ottawa air?

Pinelli to me should not be there over a player like Misa.Cameron definitely deserves criticism here.

 

[22Brad Park]

It's America's game now, and the sooner everyone can come to grips with that the better off we'll all be

Find out at 4 nations I guess, where real pros will play.

 

[JackSlater]

Also USA should but Hagens on a different line. Overkill to have your three most dangerous forwards on one line amd it relegates them to mainly a one line team at even strength. Perreault and Leonard would look fine with a centre who just does some defending.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

I've seen it on the internet for years. "Canada's talent runs so deep, our B and C teams would still win gold!" then when they lose a few games it turns into "we didn't take our best players!" Which is it?

I don't think Canadians have been saying that for years. The US and Canada are at least on par now and if anything, perhaps the US has surpassed Canada at least in talent.

 

[Mathieukferland]

So he targeted Hagens head (twice now) and punched Buium in the face multiple times? Cool, should definitely still be allowed to play in this tournament.

They’d be doing Canada a service if they suspended him, Dave Cameron’s homer pick has done nothing but kill plays and take greaseball penalties

 

[DuklaNation]

Based on what Johnson said during the game Buium clearly told Pinelli that he only made the team because Cameron is his coach. Which is very likely true and also succeeded in getting Pinelli to play like a moron. Smart by Buium.

The only positive from the game for Canada is that they showwd they can carry the play against USA five on five. That wasn't overly surprising either, but it does not mean much when you control the puck but generate no chances almost every time.

Also blaming the refs is ridiculous. Canada deserved every one of those penalties and the refs even called that flimsy one on Leonard at the end of the second. USA barely did anything that deserved a penalty. The reffing was not a negative for Canada.

Several American players were flopping and diving last night.

 

[JackSlater]

Several American players were flopping and diving last night.

And yet all of the Canadian penalties were legitimate calls.

 

[DuklaNation]

And yet all of the Canadian penalties were legitimate calls.

Not all.

 

[jtechkid]

Dickinson looks aweful - how’s he ripping up the OHL you have to question the level of talent - age in the league . These guys like him will be better going the NCAA route in future playing against 23 year old men verse 17-19 olds weak 3-4 th liners in CHL .

 

[NyQuil]

As usual, people will extrapolate to absurd degrees after the result of a round robin game.

Yes, this iteration of Canada has been underwhelming. I don’t think anyone can argue that, and in fact, the majority of people argued that before a single game was played.

Extending that argument to say that Canada can’t develop players anymore, or that our position as one of hockey’s top nations is threatened, is silly.

We sent the wrong tournament team, those guys that are there aren’t being utilized to their greatest effectiveness due to some bizarre coaching decisions, and the other teams in the pool are competitive and fully deserve their results.

Could Canada turn things around? Sure, but it’s hard to be optimistic when the problems that have plagued the team in Game 1 to some extent have persisted into Game 4.

The Czechs rightly smell blood in the water and Team Canada is ripe for the picking as the pressure on those kids to not crash out in front of the home crowd tightens even further.

 

[Masterplan]

That would be logical, because it could happen. The question is, does Cameron swallow his pride and do a shake up? It is obvious McKenna is a stud and a game changer and is one of the best 1-2 players on the team. You need to ride guys like this. But Canada has a woeful history of relying on uber talented 17 year olds at this tournament. Bedard was just the exception, not the rule. Lindros the exception too. I can still remember 1998 when it was clear Lecavalier needed more ice time. Or in 2013 when MacKinnon was hidden on the 4th line but then 4 months later was Memorial Cup MVP and the 1st overall pick. It is an old boys club, and Hockey Canada never thinks they are wrong. Bad combo.

McKenna is good and stands out as our best offense only because Senneke, Cristal, and Misa were left at home. This is a tournament where 19 year olds dominate, and these 3 should have been there, along with Parekh and Yakemchuk.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Canada has the better goaltender.

You better put some respect on MVP Augustine’s name.

 

[heynowbababooey]

I don't think Canadians have been saying that for years. The US and Canada are at least on par now and if anything, perhaps the US has surpassed Canada at least in talent.

They've definitely been saying it.